Articles Tagged witharson

Arson is punished harshly in California. One reason for this is because arson is capable of creatingstate-declared emergencies.This is especially the case in a span of drought-ridden years when even a small spark can spiral into out-of-control blazes, endangering both the state’s natural resources and the lives of firefighters who bear the responsibility of combating wildfires. If you have been charged with arson in the state of California, you need askilled and experienced criminal defense attorney to protect your legal rights and mount the strongest possible defense against the state’s efforts to convict you. The purpose of this article is to explain the crime of arson and punishments for conviction.

There are Two Arson Laws in the State of California

InCalifornia, there are two laws against arson. The reason for this is the belief that different mental states contributing to the commission of a crime deserve different levels of punishment. Sometimes, when a crime is committed, a person specifically intends to commit the crime. Other times, however, a crime is committed as the result of recklessness or carelessness.

Criminal arson charges are a serious matter in the state of California. If you have been charged with arson, it is important that you contact anexperienced California criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. The state’s prosecutor will be working to prove every element of the charges against you, and, depending on the specific charges, a lengthy prison term will result from conviction. The purpose of this article is to explain the elements of a criminal arson charge in the state of California.

California PC 451 and PC 452 Criminalize Arson in California

The laws that define arson in the state ofCalifornia are PC 451 and PC 452. These laws make it a crime to set fire to any building, forest, land, or property, whether recklessly or with a willful and malicious intent. The latter part of the legal definition of arson requires some explaining. Recklessness, in the eyes of the law, deserves less culpability than willfulness and maliciousness. In other words, reckless behavior is not necessarily intentional behavior; it may simply involve poor judgment or overly risky behavior.